Conan band to star at King Biscuit fest

HELENA-WEST HELENA -- Jimmy Vivino and the Black Italians -- the house band featured on Conan O'Brien's talk show on TBS -- will be the main act during the King Biscuit Blues Festival in October.

Officials with the festival announced the lineup for the four-day program in Helena-West Helena, which runs from Oct. 8-11 and features musicians on various stages downtown.

Vivino will be the final act of the event, performing on the Main Stage near the Mississippi River levee the evening of Oct. 11.

Vivino does not tour, said Helen Halbert, administrative assistant of operations for the festival. "He said he just wanted to play here," she said. "He's doing this just for the festival."

The 29th annual festival opens with the Michael Burks Memorial Jam at 6 p.m. on Oct. 8. Burks, an Arkansas bluesman, died in May 2012 after returning from a European tour. The event is open to anyone who wants to play music, Halbert said.

On Oct. 9, performances begin at 9 a.m.

Other acts include Reba Russell, Delbert McClinton, James Cotton, the Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith Band and Papa Don McMinn. A list of the performers and the festival's schedule are at the website www.kingbiscuitfestival.com.

Three-day passes cost $45 through Aug. 1. They are $50 after that, Halbert said. Single-day passes can be purchased for $30, she said.

More information is available by calling the King Biscuit Blues Festival office at (870) 572-5223.

State Desk on 05/08/2014

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